Became the regulation color scheme for wear on USMC khaki uniforms in November 1943.ĭark blue stripes, eagle and specialty mark. Worn by chief petty officers on the khaki working uniform. Became the regulation color scheme for wear on USMC green uniforms in November 1943.ĭark blue chevrons, eagle and specialty mark. Worn by chief petty officers on the forestry green aviation winter working uniform. Officially replaced by dark blue-on-khaki rating badges in November 1943.ĭark blue chevrons, eagle and specialty mark. Authorized by the Marine Corps but not regulated by the Navy. For hospital corpsmen and other naval personnel wearing US Marine Corps khaki uniforms. Officially replaced by dark blue-on-green rating badges in November 1943.įorestry green chevrons with green embroidered eagle. For hospital corpsmen and other naval personnel wearing US Marine Corps forestry green uniforms. Red-bordered forestry green chevrons with green embroidered eagle. Worn on white uniforms by all petty officers. Permitted in place of the gold and silver rating badges after May 1942.ĭark blue chevrons, eagle and specialty mark. Worn on blue uniforms by 1st, 2nd and 3rd class petty officers not entitled to the gold rating badge. Red chevrons with white embroidered eagle and specialty mark. Optional after May 1942 to conserve material. Worn on blue uniforms by chief petty officers not entitled to the gold rating badge. Red chevrons with silver embroidered eagle and specialty mark.
Worn on blue uniforms by all petty officers with 12 years unbroken good conduct. "If we're going to operate effectively, I think we all have an obligation to learn these ranks, and also ensure that we correct our fellow service members who might errantly be saluting or not saluting at all.Gold chevrons with silver embroidered eagle and specialty mark. "More so than ever before, our military services are operating in joint environments and being exposed to unfamiliar uniforms and rank insignia," said Sanford.
The rank is commonly located on the cap and on both sides of the collar. Naval officers in Navy Working Uniform Type 1 wear golden warfare designators (see photo), located above the left chest pocket, while enlisted have silver warfare designators, said Sanford. "It's easier to apologize for saluting the wrong person than not saluting at all." "If you're coming around a corner quickly with only a couple seconds to decipher what the rank is, I always say, 'when in doubt, salute it out," said Sanford. The Navy has a variety of uniforms they wear depending on the season or event they are attending, which can make identifying rank more confusing, said Sanford. "If they don't look like they're old enough to shave, they're probably not a Navy captain," Sanford joked. Saluting the wrong personnel can be embarrassing and puts Airmen in awkward situations, said Sanford. "When people see the crow and the chevron insignia worn by a petty officer, they sometimes assume the junior Sailor is a Navy captain, which is the colonel equivalent in the Air Force." "It's a common mistake in a joint environment," said Sanford. Knowing who to salute is important.Ī mistake that tends to happen is not properly identifying Navy insignia and saluting the wrong personnel, said Senior Chief Daniel Sanford, Naval Air Facility Misawa public affairs officer. Many Airmen are likely to come into contact with a naval officer on the way to work, lunch and even the Exchange. Misawa Air Base has more than 700 Navy personnel. It can be used as a quick reference guide.Īre you an Airman who has never been on a joint base or has little exposure to another branch of the military? Do you get confused with different rank structures? Here is some clarification, starting with the U.S.
Enlisted navy ranks series#
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan - This is part one of a four-part series covering various military rank structures.